sid_guardian | Guardian Readalong: Vol. 3, Chapters 5 & 6

Hi, and welcome to this week's installment of the Guardian novel readalong - in this post, we're talking about chapters 5 & 6 of volume 3.

Here are last week's chapters, and you can find all previous discussions in the schedule posts (part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4), or via the !readalong tag.

This week's chapters:

Chapter 5: Zhao Yunlan, Zhu Hong, and Daqing discuss the Record of Ancient Secrets, a book found in the SID library. They go to the Netherworld to investigate its provenance, keeping Leaves of Illusion in their mouths to keep from being recognised as living beings. At a bookshop where they're making enquiries, the little-girl proprietor says Zhao Yunlan bought the book.
Chapter 6: The proprietor says the Zhao Yunlan who bought the book 11 years ago looked the same. She warns him to be careful. A double-faced ghost finds them and shouts that they're alive. They get mobbed by ghouls. They fight back, but they're vastly outnumbered. Zhao Yunlan protects Shen Wei's coat. In desperation, Zhao Yunlan sets the city on fire, and they run for the gates only to find them shut. Zhao Yunlan feels something awaken inside him. The Emissary arrives and saves them. Zhao Yunlan hugs him and tells him to come home.

The corresponding chapters in the Chinese version on JJWXC and the fan translation are chapters 83-84.

Excerpts:

1) Zhao Yunlan questions the name of his order

Zhao Yunlan suddenly tapped the black cat perched on his shoulder. Keeping his voice low, he asked, “What exactly does the ‘Soul-Guarding’ in ‘Soul-Guarding Order’ mean…?”

“Guard the souls of the living, bring peace to the hearts of the dead, atone for crimes done in life, and complete the unfinished cycle.” Daqing’s glance was heavy with judgment. “It’s written right on the back of the Soul-Guarding Order, isn’t it? Are you blind?”

For once, Zhao Yunlan didn’t offer a snappy comeback. Instead, he mumbled, “But why is the order Kunlun-jun left behind called ‘Soul-Guarding’?”

Why not “Mountain-Guarding,” “Sea-Guarding,” or “Monsters- and Demons-Guarding”?

2) The Netherworld is dangerous for living beings

When they reached Ghost City, Zhao Yunlan took out a few Leaves of Illusion. The three of them each tucked one into their mouth—a leaf in the mouth would keep them from smelling like living beings and thus keep the city’s little ghouls from realizing that they were alive. In addition to ghostly immortals and souls waiting for reincarnation, some of Ghost City’s residents were unable to move on and be reincarnated, either because they were still clinging to something or because they had sinned and were there serving their time. Once in Ghost City, they would remain for hundreds or thousands of years. Their obsession with life was beyond the comprehension of a living person.

Once, when Zhao Yunlan had been inexperienced and arrogant, he’d come to the city in pursuit of a living soul who had entered it accidentally. Ultimately, he’d been unable to retrieve it. Instead, he’d witnessed how the little ghosts in the city had swarmed and mobbed the soul, sucking it dry. The reapers had needed to call in reinforcements to quell the violent unrest.

Zhao Yunlan had still been young at the time. After returning to the Mortal Realm, he’d had nightmares for a whole month and came close to being permanently traumatized.

3) Zhao Yunlan is a repeat customer at the Netherworld bookshop

An enigmatic smile crossed the child’s stiff face. A seven- or eight-year-old girl with the expression of a powerful old woman from a wuxia novel might’ve been funny in any other context, but here in Ghost City of the Netherworld, the effect was a bit creepy. “I keep clear, accurate accounts here, of course,” she said. “Every buyer’s full name and identity are checked against The Book of Life and Death. Does the Guardian have any doubts?”

Zhao Yunlan gave it some thought but realized he wasn’t going to learn anything else from her. He put the book away. “Do you remember what the ‘me’ who came and bought that book eleven years ago looked like?”

A corner of her deep-red lips curved up. In a meaningful tone, she said, “A moment ago I couldn’t remember, but now that the Guardian mentions it, it’s coming back to me. Looking at you again, I’ve only just realized that you’re a past visitor who’s returned. If the Guardian hadn’t mentioned it, I wouldn’t have realized that it’s been eleven years since then.”

4) They're accosted by a two-faced ghost

The ghost studied Zhao Yunlan, head swinging, and broke out into a fit of giggles as it rocked back and forth.

Zhao Yunlan didn’t want to cause any trouble while they were here. Keeping his gun trained on the ghost, he signaled Zhu Hong to walk the other way. Keeping their distance from it seemed like the best plan.

When the double-faced ghost saw that they were trying to leave, a hissing noise came from its throat. “Humans and ghosts belong on separate paths,” it said. “Humans and ghosts belong on separate paths!”

The words landed like a blow to the heart. Zhao Yunlan instantly thought of Shen Wei. Expression darkening, he snapped his head around and stared at the giggling ghost. With ice dripping from his voice, he said, “I’ve been exercising restraint here because I don’t want to burn bridges with the Netherworld, but you guys keep taking a mile when given an inch.”

5) Zhao Yunlan hugs the Emissary

The expressionless mask Zhao Yunlan had been maintaining, calm to the point of creepiness, finally gave way. Utterly exhausted, he let go of Daqing, letting the fat cat drop to the ground. Then, with no concern for their surroundings, he wrapped his arms around the black-cloaked figure, who was feared and revered by all, and pulled him into a hug. In a hoarse rasp, he said, “Just come home.”

Poor Zhu Hong, having only just returned to human form, wasn’t quite steady on her feet yet. The shock of what she was seeing knocked her on her ass.

Questions:

What's your favourite worldbuilding detail about the Netherworld? Should Zhao Yunlan have left Zhu Hong back at the SID? Is Zhao Yunlan only polite to the bookshop proprietor because he wants something, or is he nicer to spirits when they're in their proper place? What is the deal with the travel diary that describes the Huangquan Road?! Do you think Zhao Yunlan carries Leaves of Illusion with him at all times, or did he stock up for the trip? How sad are you that we didn't get a Dixing bookshop in the drama? Any other thoughts about these chapters (and how they were adapted)?

(As usual, these are all just conversation starters - feel free to answer all, some, or none, and to say as much or as little as you like! You don't have to be keeping up with the readalong!)

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Guardian Readalong: Vol. 3, Chapters 5 & 6

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